Letter: Suffering in a society hostile to homosexuals

Sir: In your article today (20 January) on the age of consent, Lady Olga Maitland, in answer to your question: 'Do you agree with the statement that 'it is unfair that under-age homosexuals can be locked up for sexual activities only slightly different from heterosexuals of the same age'? ' stated, 'this is not an equal-opportunities issue. It's because boys and girls mature at different rates'.

If it isn't an equal-opportunities issue, then why is the age of consent for heterosexual boys not set at 21, ie equal to that of homosexual boys? Because after all, if they aren't mature enough to have sex with another man, surely they aren't mature enough to have sex with a girl, running the risk of getting her pregnant and creating an unwanted child.

After reading the article, I feel that Lady Olga has done a great service to the campaign for equality. Any sensible unprejudiced person can see the huge holes in every one of her arguments about keeping the inequality that exists at present.

Yours,

NEIL ELSMORE

Plymouth

20 January